We all lead extremely busy lives and are pulled in a million directions at once. One way to help manage the stress that our hectic lifestyles produce is by practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surroundings.

Practicing mindfulness also involves acceptance in that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judgment, meaning there is no right or wrong way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, we tune into what we’re sensing at the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. Since different techniques work for each individual, mindfulness includes a wide range of practices so that you can find what works for you.

While mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist meditation, it is now widely accepted as a stress management technique due to the many positive effects it has on the mind and body. Mindfulness is used in a variety of settings including schools, prisons, hospitals, veteran programs, and beyond. Read more about how your body and mind benefits from mindfulness.

Here are ways to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday activities.

Practice during routine activities. Instead of being on autopilot, pay attention as your brush your teeth, take a shower, or walk to work and class. You might find these activities are more interesting than you thought.

Practice right when you wake up. This will set the tone of your nervous system for the day and increase the likelihood of other mindful moments.

Let your mind wander. There are neurological benefits to noticing your mind has wandered, acknowledging it nonjudgmentally, and then gently bringing it back to the task at hand.

Keep it short. Our brains respond better to bursts of mindfulness. Aim to be mindful several times a day, for 20 minutes or less.

Use prompts. Pick something you encounter to serve a cue to remind you to shift your brain into mindful mode. This could be a room you regularly visit on campus, an alert on your phone, or an already existing daily habit such as drinking coffee.

Free mindfulness classes

Health Promotion and Wellness offers free mindfulness classes for Illinois State students and employees over the summer and throughout the academic year, and a class for employees over the summer. Take advantage of summer’s slower pace and learn skills to help manage stress. Classes meet once a week for four weeks. Each week participants learn a new mindfulness skill and practice using the concept. Here is information on this summer’s mindfulness class:

Comments

JessicaJune 6, 20173:48 am

Practicing mindfulness is a truly great way to relax the mind. Once our mind is relaxed our body follow suit. Although I was unable to register, I'm currently loving the resource you provide from Mind Body Green. Thanks for sharing!